politicians and twitter - playground antics?

A few weeks ago, I attended the Tweetminster discussions about how politicians see social networking will change the democratic process.

MPs from all three parties spoke well and showed that there was real personality behind the twitter icon.

Kerry from Labour and Nadine from the Conservatives, spoke eloquently and demonstrated firmly how MPs could use Twitter to allow better access to their constituents as well as to the more general public.

Behind the speakers on stage were displays of tweets by those present and the wider world outside. What was truly sad and pathetic was the need of some of the twitterers to make rude, personal remarks about the speakers. Comments about what Nadine was wearing or Kerry's boots were the least unpleasant shown as they spoke.

As an ex teacher and still a member of the education community, this was like playground ganmes rather than adult intelligent discussion.

I don't agree with many of Nadine's party's policies but she spoke well, came over very warmly and I was pleased to feel I knew her a little better after her presentation. I have since followed her on Twitter with pleasure.

I also followed other labour and conservative twitterers. @LouiseBagshawe and @BevaniteEllie used to amuse me but in the last week I have unfollowed them because the childishness of their exchanges is frankly demeaing to all concerned. Strong feelings don't need to lead to pathetic personal remarks.

Similarly I am really disappointed that @KerryMP and @NadineDorriesMP have also started trading insults.

Its great that the ordinary voter can get to see behind the formal MP facade, but really sad that what we have seen recently is frankly very childish.

I have enjoyed reading Kerry and Nadine's blogs. I really enjoyed talking to them at the Tweetminster event. I think some of the attacks on Nadine have been utterly stupid.

Twitter and Iran

My thoughts about the way the Iranian protests have become a "fashionable" trend.

The problem is we do not know what happened. The young in Tehran who have access to social media do not necessarily reflect the voting population. It is quite possible the election was won by the ruling party.

Similar things happened in South Africa. The people of Cape Town who showed cynicism about Zuma were the minority. He almost won his 2/3 majority because the rural voters supported him. Same in the UK, the vocal and media savvy Londoners may tell the world what the British think but the Celtic outskirts may have views diametrically opposed.

All the green overlays and the urge to retweet could be used to serve some awful causes. There are real examples of the Iranian government assuming Twitter identities and passing on false info.

It worries me intensely that people in the West have adopted the cause in Iran without having a full understanding of the history, the context and the issues.

Just having the ability to use Twitter does not automatically make you the Good Guy.

an interesting blog to read

The Dark Side of Twittering a Revolution BY Jamais Cascio

the Stephen Fry story-Carry on Twittering?

stephenfryOoh missus, me abs and me pecs!

Stephen's latest tweet (thursday 28th noon)

Stephen shows links and new Twitter utilities at his best. But sometimes......

Read all of his updates to see the best and the worst of Twitter. It's fine having the trivial when you are the famous Stephen Fry but if you are an ordinary punter from Hampshire what value this tweet:

"Afternoon all, Hubbys gone to Shanklin for a couple of hours so Im left at home to Twitter!!! Should be ironing though ha ha" @Linda100 (and she has 300 followers!)

the great TWITTER debate

As a late arrival to this community, I have sometimes seemed over enthusiastic. But there are so many silly things said about what goes online, as well as some very silly twitterers. But I don't think people in education have seen what we can all do with this. Lots of pioneers but the wagons are a long way behind.

So some initial thoughts while they are still in my head.

1. Did some searching for refs to BASINGSTOKE and discovered some useful ideas and people and one twitterer who had nothing to say but had over 1000 followers! Its really easy to see why people who just dip their toes in the water get the wrong impression.

2. On the day of the SOUTH AFRICA elections in April, I watched the voting on BBC News24, SkyNews and AlJazeera. All interesting but not nearly as informative as the tweets from people actually lining up to vote. People in Cape Town were telling each other via TWITTER what queues were the longest and heading off for another station.

The Guardian correspondent in Africa wrote stuff for the paper but in his tweets he gave us much more interesting info. (@SmithinAfrica) . Where else could you get descriptions of what was happening as people arrived for ZUMA's slightly premature celebration party that evening? And I was able to pass on to those who were interested, what the media in the UK was reporting. Some of it was just plain inaccurate.

3. The power of Stephen Fry!! Next post